


yellow

by moonlitxlarry



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Enemies to Friends to Lovers, F/M, Hufflepuff, Original Character(s), Quidditch, Yule Ball (Harry Potter)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-03
Updated: 2021-03-11
Packaged: 2021-03-14 10:20:49
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 13,685
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29169483
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/moonlitxlarry/pseuds/moonlitxlarry
Summary: it was never his favorite color, and he didn't care much for the people whose it was.but as he saw more and more of it, he grew to like it.not just standing in front of him, but whenever he closed his eyes, or slept, or dreamed.he started to see less red, and more of what should truly mean to him.and suddenly, it was the only color he ever wanted to see.*Draco Malfoy//Hufflepuff Weasley OC*
Relationships: Draco Malfoy/Original Female Character(s), Harry Potter/Ginny Weasley, Hermione Granger/Ron Weasley, Neville Longbottom/Luna Lovegood
Kudos: 9





	1. intro

_"Granger, Hermoine."_

_"Gryffindor!"_

_Malfoy, Draco._

_"Slytherin!"_

_"Potter, Harry."_

_"Better be Gryffindor!"_

_"Weasley, Isla."_

_"Another pair of Weasley twins this year, aye? I sense great success for you, young lady, no matter where you are sorted. Let it be...Hufflepuff!"_

_"Weasley, Ronald."_

_"Gryffindor!"_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> here is a new draco/OC fic that I've had in my head for a while thanks to dracotok and my love for the hp series and draco for as long as I can remember
> 
> I am overwhelming myself with school and work and other stories so just bare with me pretty please
> 
> I hope everyone enjoys <3


	2. one

It was only a matter of time that the Weasley's had another set of twins after Fred and George. And Arthur and Molly were thankful that Ron and Isla weren't as....outgoing as the older twins. Ron and Isla were very similar in the personality sense, although they had their differences. Isla wasn't so much different than her siblings, but she was a very versatile young woman and succeeded in many things throughout her life. It was still such a surprise that she was sorted into Hufflepuff rather than Gryffindor; she had been the odd man out after Ginny was sorted in with their brothers. That didn't change the way that Isla stuck to her twin, though. She fit right into a group with Harry, Ron, and Hermoine; they were all inseparable. Despite having some different classes and not being able to sit together in the Great Hall because of house differences, nothing was stopping them. Whether it was a quarrel with Draco Malfoy, or a trip to Hogsmeade, the four of the teenagers were always together.

Isla was more than ready for her fifth year at Hogwarts. She had been practicing all summer to be the best Beater that would ever be on the Hufflepuff Quidditch team. She was hoping to make a big impact this year and give her house a few wins, despite having to face her brother and friends on opposing teams. While she was the closest with Harry, Ron, and Hermoine, Isla was always saying hi to someone in the halls, and always had a friend in a class, or wherever she was. She was a very pretty girl--with red hair that ran a darker shade of red than all of her family, and the same striking blue eyes as her twin. While she shared many personality characteristics with her twin, Isla was also very different from him. She was a big reader, and always made sure to do her best in school. She was confident that she would make the Quidditch team again this year, and maybe have a shot at being captain.

Okay, the captain was a little far-fetched but she could be hopeful.

Needless to say, Isla Rose Weasley was determined to get this school year started.

~

"Bloody hell, Isla, you're gonna miss the train! Hurry up!" Ron Weasley had his head stuck out the window of the Hogwarts Express, yelling at his twin who just _had_ to snag a bucket of popcorn from a stand before getting on the train to school.

"I'm _sorry_ , I'm hurrying!" Isla Weasley scurried as fast as she could from Platform 9¾ and towards where she needed to enter the train. She had the giant bucket held to her chest with both arms, and she was struggling to run in the slippers she had sported for the ride to school. She was nearly out of breath as she approached the stairs of the train where the conductor was impatiently waiting for her to get on. "I'm so sorry, sir," She gave the man an apologetic smile before heading to her train car where all of her friends were waiting for her.

"My apologies, guys, but this smelled _so_ _good_ and-oh!" The red-head stopped dead in her tracks when she had looked up only to see that she wasn't rambling to her familiar group--but to Draco Malfoy and his friends: Blaise, Crabbe, and Goyle. Her face turned almost the same shade as her hair. "I-um...my bad, wrong car," She looked between the four people in the car, "I'll be going now." She had made weird eye contact with Malfoy for a second longer than she would've liked before turning to go back to her car (she double-checked it was hers before barging in).

"I prove to myself that I'm more empty-headed than I thought I was every day," Isla grumbled as she walked into the car and plopped down next to her twin and across from Hermoine Granger.

"Why, because you almost missed the train?" Ron bumped shoulders with Isla.

"For the second year in a row," added Harry Potter, who sat next to Hermoine.

"Shut up," Isla kicked his foot across the space of the car. "And no, because I accidentally walked into the wrong car," She started eating from her popcorn tin, continuing to hold it to her sweater-clad chest.

"Did you run into Oliver Wood? Setting a bad example of competition for Quidditch this year?" Hermoine grinned. "Oh! Or was it Neville and Luna? I'm afraid they can't keep their hands off of each other-"

"No, gross," Isla sported a disgusted look on her face. "No. It was Malfoy's car."

"Bloody hell, Isla, are you alright?" Ron sounded worried, but Isla just shook her head.

"I'm fine, doofus. They didn't even say anything to me," She leaned back on the seat and sighed. "Still embarrassing though."

The four sat in silence. Isla and Ron snacked on popcorn, Hermione read a book, and Harry watched out the window of the scenery flying past them.

"Anything from the trolley, dears?"

As soon as they heard the familiar voice, Ron and Isla perked up excitedly.

"I'll have four chocolate frogs, two Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans, three cauldron cakes, five of Drooble's Best Blowing Gum, two pumpkin pasties, four licorice wands, and three jelly slugs," Ron handed over the exact amount of money without second-guessing himself.

"You can double it, I'll have everything he's having please," Isla jutted her arm across her brother to hand over her money, giving a polite smile to the trolley lady.

"Of course, young Weasleys," She smiled sweetly at them, taking their money and handing over all of the sweets. "What about you two?" She looked to Harry and Hermoine.

"I'm okay, thank you," Hermoine smiled.

"I'm fine as well," Harry mirrored Hermoine's smile.

"Have a lovely day, then!" The trolley witch left and Isla smiled widely at her array of treats.

"And you two like to argue that you are nothing alike," Hermoine scoffed, smiling at the twins as each of them opened a chocolate frog and began to snack on it in a similar manner. The two looked at each other and burst out laughing.

The rest of the train ride was filled with laughs and snores and shoves and smiles. Isla couldn't wait to be back at school and get back to the old ways with her friends.


	3. two

The start-of-term feast was as grand as ever that year, and Isla couldn't wait to dig into all of the delicious foods that would magically appear on all of the dishes in front of her. She was only allowed to sit with her own house for this meal, but she didn't mind one bit. She had a lot of friends in Hufflepuff (considering it was her house), and she enjoyed everyone's company. She sat squished between her Hufflepuff best friend and roommate Donna Korstar, and Lucas Attewood, her first friend at Hogwarts (other than her siblings and Harry and Hermoine).There was no familiar face that sat across from her this year, and a ping of sadness hit her. She missed Cedric.

After the feast, Isla was supposed to meet up with Ron, Harry, and Hermoine so that they could sneak out by Hagrid's hut to hang out and drink fire whiskey. They could very well do this in one of their dorms, but they wanted to take advantage of the nice fall weather before it got too cold.

The feast was extravagant, and it was always a highlight of the beginning of the term at Hogwarts. Isla had eaten until she couldn't anymore and then had walked with Donna back to their dorm. Before she was to meet up with her friends in the Gryffindor common room, Isla needed to change out of her robes. She threw on a pair of running shorts and a Hufflepuff Quidditch crewneck and slipped her socked feet into a pair of strapped sandals. She briskly made her way to the Gryffindor entrance, where she had no trouble getting in. She made friends with practically all of the people in the paintings in her first week at Hogwarts, and the fat lady in charge of the Gryffindor entrance was one of her most well-known acquaintances. They always shared a conversation when Isla made her countless trips to the Gryffindor wing. No one ever seemed to mind her being there. Once she entered the common room, she immediately spotted her friends waiting for her, sprawled across the couches.

"There you are, took you long enough," Ron bickered his twin as he sat up, picking up a backpack from the ground next to him.

"Oh, bug off," Isla muttered, flipping him off. "I haven't seen Donna or Lucas in three months and we were catching up at dinner." She glanced around the room. Ron was obviously there, Harry sat beside him. Hermoine was standing with a big picnic blanket held to her chest, and Ginny the same with a second one. Fred and George came bounding down the stairs, and Isla smiled at them. "Coming along to our spot?"

"Wouldn't miss it," George smirked, ruffling his eldest sister's hair.

"I'm tired of having fun secretly at home, I can't believe how Mum's a real buzzkill with whiskey if it's not a special occasion or if we don't have people over," Fredd added, fixing his own hair. "Plus, we have to. It's tradition for all of us to do so on our first night back!"

"That it is," Isla mirrored her brother's smirk. "Ready then?"

The Weasleys and Harry and Hermoine, as well as Neville and Luna (who had met up with them as they passed Ravenclaw), briskly made their way out of the castle and towards Hagrid's hut. They all very well knew their shortcuts around the school where no staff was ever-present, and it was a blessing. Although they usually hang out and drink in the dorms, it was always nice to be outside while they could, and especially on their first night back. Once they reached Hagrid's house, they greeted him briefly before setting out the two large blankets in the clearing a bit past the hut. Harry lay between Ginny's legs, Hermoine was between Ron's, Neville and Luna were shoulder to shoulder, and Isla was pressed between the twins, engulfing her and, frankly, keeping her sitting up straight once they started taking shots.

And many shots they did take.

Never Have I Ever was a game that Hermoine introduced to them, and it was risky to play with your siblings.

"Never have I ever kissed somebody," Ron had been the first one to pose a question.

"Ronald, love, you have to say something that _you_ haven't done, but that _others_ have," Hermoine giggled, looking back at him.

"Ohhh, my bad," Ron mirrored his girlfriend's giggle. He was quite buzzed already (as well as everyone else in the circle). "Hmm..alright then. Never have I ever... kissed a _Hufflepuff_."

Isla squinted her eyes at her twin before she poured herself a shot, "That's a bit of an attack on me, don't you think?" She had kissed her fair share of boys in her own house. Well, kind of. Actually not really. She had only kissed Lucas, once, in their second year, and immediately felt weirded out by it. On the other hand, she had kissed Cedric Diggory plenty of times; plenty and _plenty_ of times. She downed the shot of firewhiskey before Fred snatched the bottle from her hands. "You've kissed a Hufflepuff, Freddie?"

"George as well," Fred winked at his sister, pouring two shots for the both of them.

"Disgusting, I don't want to know how many girls you two have been with," Isla fake-gagged, before scrunching her eyes closed. "My turn, my turn," She hummed for a few seconds as she thought. "Never have I ever...been in love," She spoke the second half of the sentence quieter than the first.

"Didn't you love Cedric?" Ron frowned, as Hermoine poured them each a shot before passing the bottle over to Harry, Ginny, Neville, and Luna.

"I did, I loved him very much," Isla pondered on the thought. She missed Cedric. "But I don't think I was in love with him. There's a difference," She frowned. "I don't think I ever saw too much of a future with him, which was unfortunate. And I know he and I weren't together when he...you know, but it still hurt. We were still close after that, and we still loved each other."

Everyone was silent for a few moments after that, even as most of the circle took their shots. When Cedric was murdered by You-Know-Who during the Triwizard Tournament their previous year, it was hard on everyone. Isla had taken it the hardest, for a little bit. Death of someone you loved never felt real; not the moment it happens, or at the end of the day that it happens, or a full day after, or a week after, a month, a year. It never feels like they're actually gone.

"My apologies, I didn't mean to darken the mood," Isla cleared her throat. "We don't need to be sad. Cedric wouldn't want it," She smiled at her friends. "Who's next?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's another nice little intro chapter into some of Isla's personality, but we'll def be getting into it more as we progress :) 
> 
> I hope everyone is enjoying it :))))
> 
> (p.s. i know chapters are a little short, but I'm trying to be better at how I space this story out so just bear with me pretty please)


	4. three

When they decided to call it a night, the group of mostly Gryffindors, a Ravenclaw, and a Hufflepuff were absolutely gone.

They had walked by the Gryffindor wing first, where all of its members stumbled inside, except for Neville, who insisted he make sure Luna got back to Ravenclaw safely.

"Are you sure you don't want me to walk you back, Isles?" He had insisted when Isla started to make her lone way to her dorm.

"I'm sure, I promise," She smiled at him. "I know the way like the back of my hand. See you tomorrow Nevs!" She giggled to herself.

"Be safe!"

"Always!" Isla turned to make her way to the Hufflepuff wing, which seemed so close yet so far. She had to walk past Slytherin, which she knew was hustling and bustling on the first night of the new school year. They liked to have real parties in Slytherin and didn't seem to get caught due to spells that soundproofed the common room (as well as Snape letting them off when they got caught once in a while). Isla had a couple of friends in Slytherin, and they were very nice people, they were the ones who just happened to get caught in the nastiness of the social pyramid of Hogwarts. There were people like Draco Malfoy though, who loved to think they were better than everyone else. Who was he to think that? He picked on her friends for no reason, (although she always stuck up for them when she was around). He never said much to Isla herself, though. She liked to believe that he was scared of her.

Isla was humming a muggle song, very deep in her drunken thoughts when she ran into something quite tall and solid, which knocked her off of her feet. She let out a yelp, as she was about to fall backward and presumably crack her head open when a hand clutched hers and she was suspended in midair.

_'A person is saving me!'_

Isla craned her neck to her wrist, and followed the green-sweater clad arm, to a long chest and a pale neck. His face was illuminated from the moonlight that shone through the window behind her, and his gray eyes reflected the shimmery rays. His hair was so lightly blond that she had thought: _'I need sunglasses'_. 

She realized that hadn't taken a proper look at him on the train; he had grown a bit taller over the summer, his jawline had more definition, his hair was different. He was currently wearing a green Quidditch sweater and black sweatpant joggers. She could feel her face flushing more than it already had been from the firewhiskey. He was hotter than she remembered...

"Well if it isn't the man himself, Draco L. Malfoy," Isla grinned, holding back a giggle. She thought it was funny that she was just thinking of him and now here he was, saving her from eating shit. Although, he _was_ the one in the way. She stood up straight as Draco released her arm, though she wobbled a bit. She stuck her arms straight out on either side of her to be balanced again.

"What're you doing out here so late, Weasley?" He sounded a bit nasty with his tone, and Isla frowned at him

"I could ask you the same thing, _Malfoy_ ," She could only keep a frown for a moment before she smiled and started giggling. "You've got quite a unique name, have I ever told you? I really like it," She paused for a moment and watched his face. "I really like your face too, the moonlight-"

"Are you drunk?" He interrupted her, watching her as she swayed on her feet.

"Maybe just a tad," She hummed. "I'm trying to make it back to my dorm, but I ran into something- you! I ran into you and now we're talking here," She wondered why he was out wandering the halls. "What time is it?"

"Well past midnight," Malfoy answered plainly, keeping his eyes on Isla, who gasped. She slammed her hand over her mouth.

"Fuck! I didn't even realize. We were out there for a very long time. I'd like to know how many bloody shots I took," She smiled before looking up at him. "Would you mind pointing me in the right direction again? You owe me one. And if you help me then I'll owe you one!"

Draco's facial expression was still plain, and unwavering. If she wasn't so intoxicated, Isla would have dwelled on the fact that his eyes shone with interest, "That way," He pointed to his right, and Isla smiled.

"Oh! Silly me, I recognize it now, thank you," She turned to the direction of her dorm and started walking. She waved a hand in the air without stopping. "I owe you one!"

Even though Draco didn't care for the Weasleys, and always made fun of them, and always had something bad to say about them, and even though he had better things to worry about, he watched from a distance as Isla Rose Weasley safely made it into the confines of the Hufflepuff common room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> and here we go, the first interaction ;)  
> I hope everyone enjoyed :)


	5. four

Isla woke up the next morning with a splitting headache from the night before. She couldn't recall much at first thought, but she knew she drank a lot and didn't feel great. But it really didn't help that her best friend Lucas was shaking her shoulders and yelling at her to wake up.

"Isla, wake up, sleeping beauty," Lucas grinned at her as she groaned in response. "C'mon now, you're gonna be late for our first class of the year."

"It's double potions," Donna's voice sounded from Isla's other side. "We're with Slytherin, I think."

"You should also get up and get going nevertheless, we've got Quidditch tryouts today," Lucas took a step back as Isla sat up suddenly, her eyes wide.

"Fucking Quidditch, bloody hell," The redhead cursed, rubbing her head. "I've got to get rid of this damned hangover before then. And maybe get some practice in too," As much as her head was pounding, she was actively planning out her day. Grab a quick breakfast on the way to Potions, after Potions, it's Muggle Studies, and then lunch. Transfiguration was her last class of the day, and then she would practice Quidditch until dinner, and then tryouts were shortly after. She hadn't been too nervous before, but her stomach started to feel queasy thinking about everything all at once. She had nothing to worry about though. She was an above-average Quidditch player and had been on the team since second year. And having practiced all summer, she was hoping to be one of the best players out on that field, just like her older brothers.

"Hey, Earth to Isla," Lucas was snapping in her face, causing Isla to lose her train of dreamy thoughts. "I don't think you want your reputation ruined by being late to your first class of fifth year."

"Impossible!" Isla exclaimed, finally climbing out of bed. "I could never ruin my reputation." She stretched her arms, punching Lucas's arm in the process. "Now get out so I can change, pervert."

"That's a bit rude," Lucas pouted. "Calling your best friend a pervert."

"And as your best friend, I am allowed to call you that, considering I know you the best," Isla beamed, throwing her clothes and robes onto her bed. It wasn't that Lucas was a pervert, but he definitely slept around; and by sleeping around, it was referring to him probably having fucked just about every girl at Hogwarts their age, and some a year younger or a bit older. Except for Isla and Donna, though. Definitely off-limits.

"Fine, but you owe me a trip to Hogsmeade, you didn't visit all summer."

"Deal," Isla smiled at him before gesturing to the door with her hand. "Now go, I'll see you in Potions."

After Lucas had left, Isla quickly changed into one of her black skirts and white button-up shirts, with a dark gray Hogwarts sweater over that. She slipped on her flats and Hufflepuff robes before grabbing her books and walking with Donna to the Great Hall for a quick breakfast. They still had a good amount of time to spare before Potions, thankfully.

Isla was eating a biscuit with jam and looking through her Potions book before spotting her twin walk into the Great Hall with Harry Potter.

"I'm gonna go talk to my brother, I'll meet you in Potions?" The redhead turned to Donna, who had also been looking through her book.

"Sounds good," Donna smiled up at her before focusing her attention back on the book.

Isla gathered up her books (as well as her biscuit) and made her way to where Ron and Harry were seated at a different long table. She plopped down next to her twin and smiled at Harry.

"Good morning boys," She beamed, watching their faces. They both looked awfully sick, and Ron hadn't touched a bite of food.

"How can you eat right now," Ron groaned, his head resting to lie on the table.

"C'mon, you'll feel better once you eat," Isla knocked her shoulder into Ron's. She finished off her biscuit before looking at Harry, "How do you feel?"

"Terrible, but I suppose I should eat because of tryouts tonight," Harry cautiously picked up a piece of toast and eyed it unenthusiastically.

"Yes, toast," Isla brought her hand up to Ron's upper back and patted him. "Eat some toast, Ronny, you've got to have something." She stood from the table and smiled at them. "I'm off to Potions, I'll see you at lunch, and if not, Transfiguration." Ron just groaned in response and Isla chuckled, giving a wave to Harry before leaving the Great Hall and heading in the direction of Professor Snape's classroom. She was passing the courtyard, watching as students chatted amongst themselves before the first class of their year at Hogwarts, beaming under the morning sun. She smiled, and as she was turning the corner to walk down one of the halls, she was grabbed suddenly, by the arm, and pulled into a dark corridor surrounded by a few pillars.

And Draco Malfoy.

"May I help you?" Isla glared at him, simply annoyed with the smirk on his face. Why on _Earth_ had Draco Malfoy dragged her into a corner, and why did he have a devilish grin playing on his lips? Her eyes quickly flickered away from those lips. "I'd like to get to class, please, and you're being a bit of a distraction."

"A distraction, aye?" Malfoy chuckled, his face slowly inching closer to Isla's. "I assume that's a good thing, then."

"Well, you'd be wrong," She frowned, trying to back her face away. He was devilishly good at keeping eye contact, and she felt as though he could look into her eyes and see her secrets. "Now I'll ask again. _What_ do you want, Malfoy?" She didn't think he had ever been this close to her before, or another person for that matter. The Malfoy family despised the Weasley's, and he had always made that very clear.

"The real question is..." His eyes narrowed slightly, and he had that smirk still plastered on his face. "What do _you_ want, Weasley?"

Isla didn't think she had been more confused in her whole entire life. Why was Draco Malfoy cornering her, more or less talking to her in a more-than-casual fashion? They had shared nothing but dirty looks and insults throughout the years, and now he seemed...interested in her? Isla was smart, but she had no idea what was going on right now. She especially didn't know why she hadn't run away the moment she was pulled into the hidden passage.

"We've been over this," Isla put her hand on his chest and pushed him away from her with little force; just enough to get him to back up. "I'd like to get to class, and I'd like to not be pulled into another corner," She gave him a quick sarcastic grin before backing up to leave. "Actually, Malfoy, I'd like to know what in the bloody hell is going on, but I don't feel like talking to you anymore." She turned around, back into the hallway. "Have a lovely day." 

Isla started walking to Potions and didn't spare the boy another glance.

~

When Isla walked into Potions class, she immediately noticed that there was a note written on the chalkboard stating they could not partner up with anyone from their House. She was a bit disappointed at first because she was hoping to be partners with Lucas or Donna, but she had friends in Slytherin, and she spotted one right away.

"Zabini," Isla greeted her friend from Slytherin, Blaise Zabini, who she had been class partners with many times before. They had been friends too, considering she had been invited to a few Slytherin parties thanks to him. He had an empty seat next to him at his Potions table. "Mind if I join you?"

"Isla! Of course not," Blaise smiled at her, and turned away from the Slytherin girl he had been talking to. "You look good, Weasley. I see the summer's been good to you."

"It was a nice summer, yes," She laughed breathily, her cheeks turning a light shade of pink. She had grown up a bit over the summer, producing more prominent curves on her body. She had been eating so good for months and had such a good mental-health summer. She set her books down and took a seat. "How was yours?"

"Pretty good as well, I'd say," He had his whole body facing her to talk. "My parents and I traveled a bit, went to-"

"Zabini, move."

Blaise was interrupted by the same person who had interrupted Isla's walk to Potions this morning.

"Bloody hell..." Isla muttered under her breath, trying not to be too obvious. Although, she did glare up at the blond boy.

"There's open seats over there, mate," Blaise nodded his head toward the front of the room.

"I said move, Blaise," Draco Malfoy gave his friend a look, and Blaise gave him the same look back. Blaise did get up, though, and Isla wanted to protest, but she decided against it.

"Oh, goody, we're in class together," Isla gave Malfoy a fake smile, hoping her sarcasm would annoy him to the point where he would switch back with Blaise (who was now sitting with Donna in the front of the classroom). She turned to face the front of the room so she didn't have to make any eye contact with him.

Draco didn't say anything, he just watched her. Although she wasn't looking at him, Isla could feel his eyes burning into her skin.

"You're just climbing up on my creepy scale right now," She said, turning her head to look at him. "Why are you sitting next to me, and why are you talking to me?"

"I wasn't the first one to initiate this contact, Isla Rose," When Draco said her name, she felt a strange feeling in her chest and her stomach. No one called her by first and middle name, and she had never expected Draco Malfoy to be the first. She didn't think that she hated it. She shook her head, trying to ignore the feeling.

"According to my calculations, you're the one who pulled me into a dark corridor just mere minutes ago," She whispered the second half of her sentence, her eyes flickering to the other tables to make sure no one was listening. She wanted to push on, but she kept her mouth shut. This wasn't the place to do so, and she wasn't sure if she should even dig deeper.

"I'm not the one who ran into me last night," Malfoy smirked, his eyes staying steady. Isla frowned, confused at his words. Last night? She could faintly recall the events of her night, but Draco Malfoy was nowhere in her head.

"What are you talking about?" She questioned, trying to rack her brain to figure out what he was referring to. All she remembered was drinking down by Hagrid's, and ending up back in bed at the end of the night. She either did not remember anything at all, or he was lying to her, playing with her head.

Draco was silent for a few moments, studying her face yet again, "You don't remember, do you?"

"Does it look like I remember?" Isla remarked harshly. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

Draco chuckled deeply, "Looks like you had a little too much firewhiskey last night, Weasley." He turned to face the front of the classroom as Professor Snape walked in, leaving Isla puzzled and speechless.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ooooooooo more interaction ;)))
> 
> i hope everyone is enjoying so far, i know it's still going fairly slow but we're getting there
> 
> :)))


	6. five

By the time it was her lunch period, Isla's head was filled with many possibilities of whatever in Merlin's beard Draco Malfoy had been talking about. She was trying so hard to remember, but she struggled to remember the gap of time between the start of Never Have I Ever and being back in her dorm room. Surely she would have remembered running into Malfoy, or whatever else had happened.

God, she hoped nothing else had happened.

Isla needed to talk to everyone who had been with her last night, starting with her siblings. Once she got to the Great Hall, she looked around frantically for familiar red hair like her own. Fred and George weren't in there, and she couldn't spot her own twin, but Ginny was sat eating with Luna.

Isla hurried over, setting her books down on the bench seat and sitting next to the pile, "I have a bit of a predicament." She started piling food onto her plate nonetheless. She ate a lot most of the time, but stress eating was a different kind of eating.

"What about?" Ginny asked, taking a bit out of a sandwich. "You didn't shag anybody, did you?"

"No," Isla sighed. "At least, I don't think so. But also, none of your business if I did." Isla smiled at her sister before beginning to dig into her food-filled plate.

"Well, what is it then?" Luna asked, putting down the glass she had been drinking from. "You look very tense."

"That's the thing, I don't really know," Isla had spoken between bites, before pausing her eating to explain. "It's weird, but just hear me out." She briefly explained the events of her morning, although she more so told them that Draco stopped her in the hallway instead of pulling her into a corridor. She told them how she couldn't recall most of the night and had been racking her brain for hours. "You guys didn't see anything, did you? Or know anything?"

Ginny shook her head, "I couldn't have, neither Hermoine, and probably none of the boys, either," She was right, they had dropped them off at Gryffindor tower first. "Neville, though, and you Luna, you walked with Isla further to get to Ravenclaw, right?"

"Yes, that's right," Luna responded, looking between Ginny and Isla.

"Well?" Isla questioned, spooning some soup into her mouth. "Did you see anything?"

"I don't recall, no," Luna frowned. "I remember you leaving to go to the Hufflepuff dorms, but I didn't see or hear anybody else."

"Would Neville have seen anything?"

"I don't believe so," Luna sighed. "He walked me up to my dorm and ended up staying with me. I'm afraid we have no answers for you, Isla."

"That's okay, thank you though," Isla smiled small, returning to eating the rest of her lunch.

"But, why Malfoy?" Ginny questioned after a few minutes in silence. "He's evil, and sour, and has never been nice to us in the slightest and-"

"I know, Gin, I know," Isla sighed. "I have been asking myself the same thing all day," Isla took a drink of water and then set her cup down to look at her sister. As she turned her head, her eyes flickered to a face across the Great Hall, with pale hair and a steady gray gaze locking onto her own. She quickly looked away, cursing herself for letting that happen. "I have no bloody clue what is going on in the slightest."

~

Transfiguration with Ron, Harry, and Hermoine had brought Isla's mind off of things for a while. At the beginning of class, she had told them what happened, the same way she told Ginny and Luna. They had no answers for her, only snide comments and remarks about how he had no right to come onto her, or even talk to her in the first place. Isla had agreed, but it seemed she wouldn't be escaping him due to Potions. Maybe she could get an answer out of him eventually.

Isla stopped at her dorm after Transfiguration so that she could change into clothes to practice in before dinner. She put on a pair of running shorts and a tank top and packed a backpack with sport leggings and her Quidditch jersey from one of her previous years that had still fit her. She slid on a pair of running shoes and grabbed her broom before making her way out of her dorm and to the practice field. It was empty, save for a few kids who were just sitting and relaxing. She didn't mind them at all and got to work.

Isla squeezed in a good hour and a half of practice before deciding she just needed time to relax and unwind before dinner. She gathered her things and made her way to a lake that was a few meters off from the main one. Not too many people went down by the big lake anyway, but its sister lake was a spot she seemed to only have knowledge of, and she knew she wouldn't be bothered (at least, she never had been before). She set her things next to a large tree and grabbed a book out of her backpack. She went to sit near the edge of the lake, slipping her shoes and socks off to stick her feet in the edge of the water. It was warm at the surface from the sun but cooler underneath, and it felt absolutely refreshing.

Knowing she had about just under an hour before dinner, Isla began reading her book in peaceful silence, except for the sounds of the outside world. She enjoyed those sounds. She was also very much enjoying her book so far. Hermoine had brought her a stack of Muggle books from the summer, and she was already on her third read.

Isla knew her afternoon was too good to be true when she was interrupted from her reading by the person she really didn't want to see at this moment.   
  


"What're you doing out here, Weasley?" Draco Malfoy was walking toward Isla from the small hill behind her. She didn't look up.

"Trying to enjoy some peace and quiet before tryouts," Isla flickered her eyes to Draco, who was now standing next to her and looking down at her. He was wearing black sports joggers and his own Slytherin Quidditch jersey. She just remembered that it was bad enough she would have to see him at the Quidditch pitch for tryouts later. She was trying to avoid this, for Merlin's sake. She moved her eyes back to her page. "No one ever comes down here, it's nice and quiet."

"You're right, no one does come down here," Draco sat down next to Isla, glancing around before facing the lake. Her eyes quickly moved to watch him before she looked back down.

"Right, so why are you here, Malfoy?" She questioned, continuing to read.

"Just enjoying the view, Weasley," He responded, his smirk prevalent in his voice.

Isla shook her head, "You just can't take a hint, huh?" She put her bookmark in her book to mark her spot and closed it, turning to him. "I'm trying to read and it's very hard to do that when you're here," She tilted her head to the side, trying to keep eye contact with him. "I really would just like some quiet before tryouts, if you don't mind." She opened her book and went back to reading.

Draco didn't say anything, just continued to sit and watch the water. Every once in a while he would turn his head to glance at Isla, who tried her best to ignore him. At least he was being quiet, though. She couldn't help but glance at him herself when he wasn't looking. His bleach-blond hair lay messily on his head, and his pale skin was bright under the light of the sun. He wasn't sitting too close to her, but close enough to where she could hear him breathe.

When it was nearing time to leave for dinner, Draco had stood up without a word and started walking back up the hill, "See you at tryouts, Isla Rose."

Isla's breath caught in her throat, and she internally punched herself in the face.

_What in the bloody hell was going on?_

~

After Isla had scarfed down a hearty dinner with her friends, they all made their way to the Quidditch pitch, where each House would be taking turns with tryouts. The Gryffindors were up first, so Isla and Hermoine found seats in the stands to watch Harry, Ron and Ginny do what they do best.

Isla wasn't nervous, but she was distracted with thoughts that she never imagined would be consuming her head. _Draco Malfoy_ was in her head, and she didn't know why it was getting to her so much. Maybe that's what he did, was get into people's heads and drive them crazy. For no reason at all.

She was very intently listening to what Hermoine had to say about their first day of classes, as well as commenting about the performance of their friends on the field, in an attempt to clear her head. She was always one to get lost in her head, and she needed it crystal clear if she had any shot at making team captain.

It was easier for Isla to relax once Harry, Ron, and Ginny had joined them in the stands. There was much talking and joking around as Ravenclaw was trying out next. Isla was up after that with Hufflepuff, and when the Ravenclaw tryouts were almost over she had stood to leave her friends, who all gave her hugs and wishes of good luck.

Isla was feeling good, great actually, and had high hopes for herself. She made her way to the field after the Ravenclaws had filed off, and took a deep breath before mounting her broom and beginning the tricks and test of tryouts.

~

"That's my twin! That's my twin!"

"Go Isla!"

"You go, Weasley!"

After her best performance in her Quidditch career for tryouts, Isla had almost fallen off her broom from the buzz of adrenaline in her veins. She had played so well and had been even better at helping other people trying out to do their best. She felt so good, and everyone else was making her feel that way, as well. So many people had rushed down to the ground at the end of tryouts to greet her, including her siblings and friends. She was getting hugs and high fives and appraisals and she was so proud of herself.

Fred and George announced that they were holding a party in Gryffindor for Isla tonight, who insisted there was no need since the list had not been announced yet, and neither had captain. There was no stopping her brothers though. Plus, they took any excuse to throw a party. Everyone had gone back to the castle, where Fred and George went to start setting up the party. Ron, Isla, Harry, and Hermoine had all waited down by the Great Hall where the lists would appear any minute.

Isla knew she was going to make the team, but she really did have high hopes for getting team captain, as well. It was a vote between all of the high-years on the team, so the chances were iffy, but she was hopeful nonetheless.

A bunch of other students were gathered around when fire lit up the empty space on the wall, and then the lists appeared. Isla looked at the Gryffindor list first, spotting the names of her siblings, and Harry. She congratulated Ron and Harry before looking at the Hufflepuff list, where she spotted her name immediately. Her eyes scrolled down to the bottom of the page, where the captain's name was listed.

_Hufflepuff Quidditch Team Captain: Isla Weasley_

"I did it, I bloody did it!" Isla exclaimed, throwing her arms around her twin, who hugged her back tightly. As she was moving to hug Harry, she locked eyes with Draco, who was smiling and celebrating with his house a few feet down. She quickly looked away, pulling away from Harry to hug Hermoine. "I can't believe I did it!"

"Oh, of _course_ we can believe it! You were amazing out there, Isles," Ron chuckled, punching her in the arm. "Now come on, it's time to celebrate!"

Isla laughed, starting to walk toward Gryffindor tower with her friends. She was still dressed in her clothes from tryouts, but she didn't really mind; plus, Hermoine or Ginny would probably let her borrow something if she wanted to change. She didn't care that she would probably be waking up with another hangover in the morning, because she deserved to celebrate for herself.

"Hey, Weasley! Isla!"

Isla and Ron whipped their heads around behind them, where Draco Malfoy was walking towards them, hands in his pockets.

"What do you want, Malfoy?" Ron narrowed his eyes at the Slytherin, who had stopped walking to lean against the wall.

"None of your concern," Malfoy mirrored Ron's expression before his eyes wandered over to meet Isla's. "I'd like to talk to your sister if you don't mind."

"We do mind-" Hermoine started, but Isla cut her off.

"It's okay guys, really," The redhead said, holding her hand up. "You guys go ahead, I'll be right behind you."

"Are you sure, Isla?" Harry questioned, his eyes glancing between Isla and Draco.

"I'm sure. I'll be fine, trust me," She smiled at them. "Go get the party started."

"Okay," Ron smiled at his sister, but when he looked over at Draco, he gave him a death glare. Isla just shook her head, watching as her friends walked away. She turned to Draco and walked over to him.

"What could I possibly do for you, Malfoy?" She crossed her arms and met his eyes a few inches above her own.

"I just wanted to congratulate you," He grinned.

" _You_ want to congratulate _me_?" Isla scoffed, uncrossing her arms.

"It's only good sportsmanship from one team captain to another," His grin turned devilish as Isla's mind began racing.

Of _course,_ he was Slytherin's team captain. How convenient.

"You're team- You know what, nevermind," Isla shook her head. She wasn't necessarily surprised; Draco was decently good at Quidditch, and he posed as a leader in his House. It was just annoying that he had made captain the same year as her. "I'm sorry for coming off like that. Congratulations, Draco. I mean it." And she really did mean it. She appreciated someone who was good at what they loved. As much as she despised Draco Malfoy, she was a better person than that. And didn't they always say to kill 'em with kindness?

As they held eye contact, Isla noticed how his eyes softened when she said his name. The moonlight was hitting him through the windows, in a way that made her want to keep looking at him for a long time. He almost looked vulnerable, leaning against the wall in front of her with his hands in the pockets of his joggers. She almost forgot that she had somewhere to be.

"I, um-" Isla cleared her throat. "My brothers are throwing me a party, I should probably head over there."

Draco had tilted his head so slightly that Isla would have missed it if she wasn't paying so much attention to his face, "I'll see you in class, Isla Rose." His lips quirked up into a small smile before he pushed himself from the wall to walk the opposite way towards the Slytherin common room.

Isla was left speechless yet again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hi!! more conversation and yay Quidditch!! let me know how you guys are liking it so far! :)


	7. six

The first week of classes went by fairly fast, and Isla tried her best to ignore whatever snarky comments Draco tried to make to her during Potions class. It was nothing bad, but she just didn't want to deal with it. He still hadn't told her what happened on her drunken night, but she supposed it wasn't too big of a deal if it was left unsaid.

Isla really was just excited for the first Quidditch game of the year on Friday night. After celebrating her new title on Monday night, she had been practicing and working with her team so well, and she had high hopes for the game. They were playing Slytherin, and if she knew anything about Draco Malfoy, she knew he was going to give her a run for her money.

On Friday during Potions, Draco didn't say much to her but had only spoken a few words to her after class.

"See you on the field, Isla Rose."

Isla really, really wanted her team to beat Slytherin tonight. And it wasn't just because Malfoy was team captain, and he had been badgered by him all week.

Well, it mostly was for that reason.

She really did just have great confidence in her team. She thought that they might win the House Cup this year, although she didn't want to underestimate Gryffindor. Everyone on that team was splendid at playing. But Isla would never be upset at Gryffindor winning. It was like her sister House.

Isla enjoyed a happy dinner with her friends, who were making her head and heart happy. She was so excited to play her first Quidditch game of the year knowing her friends and siblings were cheering her on from the stands. She pushed away thoughts of Malfoy and unanswered questions and was focusing on what really mattered.

"Good luck, Isles," Ron hugged his twin as everyone stood outside the Quidditch pitch, about to send Isla into the warm-up tents to get ready for the game. "You're gonna be bloody brilliant, I know it."

"You're gonna kick their arses," Hermoine giggled, also embracing Isla.

"Thanks, guys, I appreciate it," Isla smiled, looking back at her team in the tent. "I'll be off. I'll see you after we win." She winked at her friends before heading into the tent.

"Ready, Isla?" Lucas appeared next to Isla as she walked in, bumping her arm with his own.

"More than you know."

~

Isla was playing her best game of Quidditch yet. She was a keeper on the team, and she had deflected every ball that had come even close to her. She was thankful that Malfoy was a seeker so that she didn't have to worry about the tension on the field. She had better things to worry about.

Hufflepuff was winning halfway through the game, and Isla planned to keep it that way. Her whole team was playing outstandingly wonderful, and she was so happy. She had a rush of adrenaline that was lasting her the whole game. She remembered, in these moments, why she loved playing so much. And how she had even more motivation because she was team captain. She didn't think it could get any better than that.

When it was nearing an hour or two into the game, things were getting more intense. The seekers on both teams had eyes on the Snitch, and the Bludgers were getting crazy as time when on. Isla was blocking the Quaffle it seemed every 30 seconds, and she was focusing very intently on her task. 

She was so focused that she didn't notice one of the Bludgers come flying for her head.

Everything happened so quickly. Isla heard Lucas yell her name, and the roaring of the crowd pick up. She saw a flash of white and black and green, and the next thing she knew she was on the ground.

Right next to Draco Malfoy.

Draco Malfoy, who was unconscious, with blood on his face, and his arm lying unusually-twisted on his side.

Isla wasn't hurt, but she knew she would be sore from the fall. Everyone from both teams were gathered around the pair on the ground, and Professor Snape, Professor McGonagall, and Professor Dumbledore were already there, as well. She could hear Ron calling her name, his voice getting closer.

"Are you hurt, Ms. Weasley?" Professor Dumbledore had questioned Isla, who couldn't seem to tear her eyes away from Malfoy. Madam Pomfrey had appeared now on the field and blocked the boy from Isla's sight. "Ms. Weasley?" Dumbledore asked again.

Isla's eyes met her Headmaster's, "I, um..." She looked to her side again, but then shook her head and looked back at Dumbledore. "No, I'm not hurt. I'm fine," She went to get back on her feet but Ron appeared at her side, making sure she didn't stand. "I'm fine, I can play the rest of the game."

"No need, we declared the game over with," Professor McGonagall replied. "Your house won, Ms. Weasley."

Despite her feelings of winning, Isla could hardly focus on that simple fact. All she was thinking about was Malfoy lying on the ground bloodied and broken, who was now being carried away by Hagrid to the Med Wing. Her eyes followed them until she could barely see them anymore.

With thorough examination from Dumbledore and Snape, Isla was free to go without any watch due to the fall, which she was thankful for. She would be hurting in the morning, but she didn't care much. Hufflepuff was holding a party for the winning team, but Isla didn't care much for that, either.

All she could think about was why Draco Malfoy, a seeker, who should not have even been close to her, had flown in to save her.

~

As much as she tried to have fun at her own celebration party, Isla couldn't clear her mind or relax.

She was too focused on the events that had happened a few hours ago on the Quidditch pitch. Whether she liked Draco Malfoy or not, she hoped he was alright. She never liked seeing people get hurt.

Isla was sitting with Donna and Lucas, absentmindedly sipping on her drink when she made a spontaneous decision to leave.

"Turning in for the night already?" Donna asked her as she stood up.

"Yeah, I think so," She lied, giving her friends a sympathetic smile. "My head hurts from the fall, it's been a long day."

"I'll miss you, Isles," Lucas winked at her, his words slurring in the slightest.

"Oh, I'm sure," Isla giggled, waving at them. Her smile disappeared as soon as she turned away. She had to push a bit through the people to get to the stairs to her dorm, but as soon as she was out of sight, she was quick. She grabbed her current reading book and threw on a hoodie, and she successfully snuck out of the Hufflepuff common room without a question asked. She didn't like lying to her friends, but she had other things on her mind, and as much as she wanted to celebrate, there were things of more importance.

Isla was soft on her feet as she maneuvered the corridors, careful not to be spotted by Mrs. Norris in the halls that were more common for students to be sneaking about. She had reached the Med Wing in no time, and stood outside the door for a moment, listening to make sure Madam Pomfrey wasn't inside.

Once Isla knew it was safe to do so, she spoke in a whisper, " _Alohomora_." Her wand was concealed from the open halls by her body in case anyone were to walk by.

She slid through the small opening between the doors to the Med Wing, and silently closed it behind her when she was inside. Her eyes flickered from empty bed to empty bed, until they settled on what they were searching for.

There he was, Draco Malfoy, his arm in a sling and a bandage across his forehead. He seemed peaceful, asleep either from exhaustion or pain or potion. But he was peaceful nonetheless.

Isla walked over to where he was laid in a bed, soft snores emanating from his lips. She was quiet, silent, as she sat in a chair toward the end of his bed. Her eyes didn't stop watching him. His hair was still dirty, some of it sticking to his forehead from sweat. It was still fluffy in some spots, wind-blown from riding on his broom earlier. His lips were parted in the slightest, and his cheeks were flushed a deeper shade of pink. Isla liked to think that, for a moment, he wasn't the cruel, twisted bully who was mean to her friends and family, but he was a soft Slytherin boy who could have just as easily been her friend.

Isla pulled her eyes away, knowing she wouldn't stop looking at him if she didn't have the willpower to look away. She also thought that to anyone else, she would be a creep. But Draco Malfoy was almost... _beautiful_ , in a twisted way that she couldn't even put her own finger on. And with the moonlight shining onto his face, like it had before, she wished she could see his eyes.

~

Isla sat at the end of Malfoy's bed, reading countless pages of her book. The last she checked the clock on the wall it was only 12:26 a.m., and she didn't know how long she would stay, or why she was even there in the first place.

Draco hadn't moved in his sleeping position the whole time Isla was there, so when there was a small movement from the hospital bed, her eyes flickered up to see his head move, his eyes still closed. She let her eyes sit back at her book, not wanting to be obvious if he was awake. She went back to reading, her heart beating fast.

A few minutes later, Malfoy had squinted his eyes open, taking his free hand and rubbing the sleep out of them. He looked around, almost confused, before his eyes landed on Isla.

"What're you doing here, Weasley?" He had croaked out, his voice laced with venom, and groggy from sleep.

Isla's breath caught in her throat, but she didn't look up, "Reading." There was no reason for her heart to start beating a little faster.

Malfoy looked around the room again, seeming as though he was trying to put everything together. He didn't comment on it though, and only said, "Right, I can bloody see that." His voice was thick again. "But what are you doing here?"

Isla frowned, not enjoying the attitude she was detecting in his voice. She slammed her book shut and looked up at him, "I'm reading, I thought that was obvious from the sight of it, and then when I _told_ _you_ I was reading." She stood from the chair, grimacing at him. "And I _was_ keeping you company, despite the asshole you are. I figured it was the least I could do since you took that Quaffle for me. But now I know I just wasted my time, so forgive me for thinking this was a good idea." She turned to leave, beginning her walk to the doors.

"Wait, Weasley," Malfoy called, his voice softer now. He was straining to talk any louder than a normal tone, and Isla was walking further from him. "Weasley, don't," He tried again, but Isla wouldn't dare even miss a step. "Isla! Isla Rose, please."

She stopped dead in her tracks, her grip on the book tightening. She swallowed the lump in her throat, slowly turning to face him.

"Stay, Isla," If Isla wasn't so far away she would have said that he was pleading with his eyes.

She slowly started to retrace her steps back to his bed. Without a word she sat back down in the chair, looking up to his face.

There they were, his eyes, shining silver in the moonlight. She searched them for something, anything that would give her answers to the many questions she had swimming in her head. But she decided she didn't need answers right this moment. Some things were better left unsaid, anyway.

She tore her eyes away after a few moments, opening her book back up to her current page.

"Okay, Draco."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I LOVE THIS CHAPTER
> 
> please let me know how you guys are liking the story so far :)


	8. seven

Isla's next week of school consisted of a routine in which she wasn't completely sure was good or not. Her school day was as normal as any other; wake up, eat breakfast, double Potions by herself (which she couldn't completely complain about), Muggle Studies, lunch, Transfiguration, and then she was free until Quidditch practice. During this time she would usually catch up on homework or spend time with her friends before dinner (during which they were probably doing homework).

After Quidditch practice, Isla would make her way to the hospital wing.

She didn't _plan_ to be there every day, but she still felt bad about what had happened to Malfoy. Ron had told her not to feel bad because he was "a bully, Isla, a bloody bully", and Donna reminded her that it wasn't her fault that Malfoy had gotten hurt. It hadn't been anyone's fault except, perhaps, his own. Isla wanted to ask him why he did it, just blurt out the question, but every time she was there she just couldn't. She would always have a reading book on hand, and her schoolwork as well. They didn't talk much, apart from some comments made by Draco every once in a while ("Back again? Can't get enough of me?" "Do you ever stop reading?" "Am I intimidating, is that why you won't talk, Isla Rose?" were just a few of them). Isla didn't truly know why she kept going back. They weren't friends, and she didn't intend to be friends with him, but what else were you supposed to do when someone saved your bloody life?

Isla did talk to him sometimes, though. Mostly they were just snarky remarks back at him, but sometimes she felt bad. She didn't think any of his friends came to see him, except for Blaise, who brought him his homework every day (she had asked him once, and got a nasty remark back). She had skipped out on going one day to hang out in the Gryffindor common room but had ended up going a few hours later anyway. It felt like a routine to her and she had trouble breaking it.

Exactly a week after that Quidditch game in which Draco got hurt, Isla was attending a Gryffindor versus Ravenclaw match with Hermoine, Neville, and Luna (who was sporting both Gryffindor and Ravenclaw spirit). As far as Isla knew, Draco was still in the infirmary, and she would probably be missing that visit tonight if Gryffindor won. She had no reason to stress about it and she tried not to during the game, but her stomach was heavy and she just felt the buzz of anxiousness. She was distracted every once in a while as she cheered for her siblings and Harry, but the Slytherin boy stayed in the back of her mind.

After a successful Gryffindor win, Isla cheerfully walked with her friends to the Gryffindor tower. She had actually found herself relieved to be relaxing and letting loose instead of sitting and reading all night. Whether Draco was on her mind or not, she figured she needed time with her friends.

And she was determined to forget the blond bastard for one night.

~

A few shots of firewhiskey had done the trick.

Isla wasn't drunk, but she was intoxicated enough to feel the lightness of her head, and the tingling in her fingers and toes. She had just been talking with Fred and George about something before she was dragged to the middle of the room by Hermoine to dance. It was a softer upbeat song playing from the radio; Isla thought she recognized it from her father's collection of Muggle records. She and Hermoine spun each other and danced happily, causing them to be in a constant fit of giggles and laughs. Ron was laughing with them, smiling happily. A lot of other people were dancing too, and Isla was just so happy and lost in laughter. After the song had ended, Isla realized how incredibly hot she was and asked Hermoine if she could go to her dorm to borrow some lighter clothes. She was sporting a long sleeve jumper and jean short-shorts, but wanted to steal a t-shirt from her friend. Her sister was nowhere in sight and she didn't want to bother looking for her. She headed up to Hermoine's dorm, gripping onto the railing going up the spiral stairs. As she grew further from the loud music and talking, she felt less intoxicated and more tired. It had been a long week.

As she dug through Hermoine's closet for a shirt, she heard the fluttering of owls and felt the breeze of the crisp fall air on her legs outside of the open window. It felt nice up here. She changed into a plain white shirt of Hermoine's and sat on the ledge inside of the window. She looked down at the castle beneath her, and up at the stars above her. As she watched and listened to the sounds of the night over the buzz of the party downstairs, she thought she could fall asleep right there.

Until an owl came flying right toward the window.

It didn't startle Isla, but she watched as it slowed down to approach the window, and landed graciously just inside in front of her. The owl was a sleek black, with a lighter gray spotting it's feathers and it's eyes the same gray. She glanced down at the owl's feet, where a small roll of parchment was tied to it, and untied it from the owl. She wasn't completely sure that the letter was for her, but she was the only one around, and she would pass it on to someone else if that was the case.

She unrolled it, blinking her eyes a couple of times before reading:

_Isla Rose_

_Astronomy tower. Midnight._

_D._

Isla frowned, re-reading the letter several times. It was clearly addressed to her, but she didn't want to be right about who had sent it. She knew a lot of people, but wasn't close to anyone with a name that started with D except for Donna; however, Donna didn't call her that, and she would have come to find Isla if she needed her because she knew where she was. But only one person had called her that, and she blamed her foggy mind for not realizing it as soon as she opened it.

"Fucking Malfoy," Isla grumbled quietly to herself, letting her finger trace lightly over the cursive handwriting. It was much different from the handwriting of the notes he took in Potions class, but she supposed it was just a messy font for that reason. She sighed loudly suddenly, throwing her head back in the process. She set the note down and ran her hands through her hair. She didn't want to leave her friends, but the note was intriguing. Plus, her head was starting to hurt and she didn't want to drink too much more than she already had. "Fine, fine. You get what you want." She glanced at the small clock sitting on Hermoine's nightstand, which read 11:26 p.m. She folded up the small piece of parchment and stuck it into the back pocket of her shorts. The astronomy tower was on the other side of the castle, so she figured she could take a nice stroll over there through the halls she knew were safe after hours. The only problem was getting past her friends, and especially her twin.

Isla quietly toed her way back down the stairs to the common room, the noise of music and voices becoming louder as she neared. As she reached the bottom of the steps, her eyes searched for familiar heads of red, as well as Harry and Hermoine. Ron and Harry were chatting by the fireplace, and Ginny and Hermoine were speaking with Neville and Luna on the couch. Her eldest brothers were nowhere to be seen. She tried her best to push through crowds of people without being noticed. She was almost successful, about to reach the exit painting, until Fred and George popped up in front of her out of nowhere, making her jump.

"Where are you going, Isla Weasley?" Fred smirked, looking down at his sister.

"Not having fun, aye?" George added, mirroring his twin's smirk.

"I'm just tired, I think I'm headed back to my dorm," Isla lied, staging a yawn in the middle of her sentence. "Would you tell Ron and them for me?"

The twins said they'd let Isla go but bargained that she had to help them test out new pranks next week. She had reluctantly agreed, just wanting to leave Gryffindor tower quickly so she didn't waste any more time. Once she had made it into the hallway, she made her way down to the main halls and started walking in the direction of the astronomy tower. She kept close to the walls, staying in the dark. She knew Filch liked to walk around by the Great Hall, and Mrs. Norris could be anywhere, so she knew to be careful and quiet as she roamed the halls.

Isla walked with soft feet and strained ears. She had noticed halfway through her walk that she wasn't wearing any shoes at all, just some black fuzzy socks she had been sporting all night. She giggled quietly, finding it hilarious that she had just noticed, and continued her journey to the astronomy tower. While she had finished a few drinks, Isla felt fairly good. She was conscious of everything going on, but she was just intoxicated enough to the point where her mind wasn't obsessed with why Draco had not been in the hospital anymore, and why he had summoned her to the astronomy tower, or why she was even on her way there. She had a choice, she knew she did. But she couldn't deny that she was interested.

When Isla reached the bottom of the towering spiral staircase, her feet stopped. She could suddenly feel her heartbeat picking up speed, and her hands getting clammy. Why on Earth was she at the bottom of the astronomy tower, about to walk up to Draco Malfoy, who had asked her there? Why had she been at his bedside every night for the past week? Why had her mind been ultimately distracted by a boy who was nothing but ever a bully? She was a bit intoxicated now, yes, but she was smart enough and sober enough to question whatever her life had been for the past week, and what it could be if she walked up those stairs.

Maybe it was because she still wanted answers, or because she simply had no other reason not to, but Isla slowly and carefully padded up the stairs, one hand on the wall as she did so. When she knew she only had a few more stairs left, she stopped walking. She took a deep, shaky breath before continuing to the top.

The first thing she saw was the moon, bright and bold against the dark fall sky. Her eyes explored the picturesque view, noticing how the millions of stars in the sky shone brighter up in the tower than on the ground, or from her dorm window. She slowly walked out from the staircase to one of the balconies of the tower, her eyes never leaving the sky. It was mesmerizing. So mesmerizing that she forgot why she was-

"Enjoying the view, Isla Rose?"

Isla visibly jumped, her hand flying to her chest where her heart was beating quickly, "Fucking hell," She breathed, turning around. Draco Malfoy stood, in gray joggers and a black sweater, his hands in his pockets. The moonlight shone on him much like it happened to every time she ran into him in the night; it illuminated his pale skin and made his eyes stand out. Isla removed her hand from her chest, her breath steadying. "A bit rude to scare the shit out of someone, yeah?"

Malfoy watched her, his head tilting slightly, "You were so intrigued by the view, I didn't want to disturb you."

Isla looked him up and down, "You're not bed-ridden anymore," She grinned. "Missed me so much that you snuck out to see me? I'm flattered."

"Yeah, right," He spat out, rolling his eyes. "You could only dream." His demeanor turned dark suddenly, and Isla frowned.

"Alright, if you called me up here just to be an asshole, I should be going then," She shook her head, beginning to walk past him and towards the stairs again. "I knew I shouldn't have bloody come up here-"

A hand grabbed her wrist, one that felt somehow familiar to her. She tried to shake it off.

"Bug off, Malfoy, I don't-"

"Wait, don't go Isla," Draco spoke, his voice softer now. But only a little.

"For what reason should I not?"

Draco sighed, angry and loud to the point where it was a tad bit dramatic, Isla had thought. He said something under his breath, a short sentence that she did not catch any part of. And he was still holding her wrist.

"I'm sorry, what was that?" She questioned, giving him a look. "No one can understand a mumbler."

He sighed again, almost louder than the first time, "Because I have something for you." It was quiet, but considering how void it was of noise on top of the tower, Isla had heard.

"If you say yourself, I will personally push you down these stairs and send you right back to the hospital wing," She threatened lightly, joking but also being serious because she was really going to consider it if that was his response.

"That's not it," He frowned before a smirk started growing on his face. "Well, I mean, I _am_ -"

"Fuck off, Malfoy," Isla shook her head, starting to pull away, but his grip got tighter.

"No, wait, seriously," He seemed a bit panicky, and Isla sighed. "I really do. Have something for you, I mean." He was waiting for Isla to move away from the stairs. Once she (hesitantly) started walking towards him, he released her wrist.

"It better be good," Isla commented, watching him sit on a bench in the middle of the room, which looked out into the sky. She took a seat next to him but made sure not to be too close.

"My mum made me get it for you," Malfoy had grabbed a small box seemingly out of nowhere, and was holding it out to her.

"Oh, so _you_ didn't get me anything? You were told to get me something?" Isla scoffed. "Real nice, Draco, that's wonderful-hey!" She snapped her head towards him to look at his face. "Why in the bloody hell did your _mum_ get me something? Why does she know about-"

"Please, just shut up and let me explain," Malfoy cut her off harshly, still holding the box. "I write to her a lot. I didn't tell her I got hurt, but when she got word that I was in the hospital, she was worried, asked if anyone was keeping me company," Isla was watching his hands holding the small package. He was tracing the box with one of his fingers, decorated in a sleek black ring. "I told her Blaise, but I may have mentioned you as well."

"You mentioned me to your mum, Draco?" Isla shook her head. "Are you oblivious to everything that has happened, and still has effects, between our families?" She wasn't understanding.

"I didn't mention your name," He said, looking up at her. "I said something along the lines of a friend, who happened to be a girl, who was keeping me company." He cleared his throat. "Didn't tell her how shit you are at Potions, though, I thought you'd appreciate it."

"Oh, yeah, I really appreciate it," Isla gave him a fake smile, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

Draco held the box out to her, "I'll take it back if you're gonna be mean."

Isla shook her head, carefully grabbing the box from him, "I'm not the one being an asshole." She muttered, holding it in her lap. She examined the outside of the box, tracing her fingers around it.

"It's not going to explode or anything, if that's what you're worried about," Draco said, trying to find Isla's eyes in the dim light of the moon and the torches in the tower. Once she had looked up at him, she didn't want to look away. His gray eyes shone silver, and there was something in them that she had never seen before from anyone. Maybe once, perhaps.

She quickly turned her head away from him and back down at the small box, "If it does explode, or something worse, oh that is _it_ for you, Malfoy."

"Just open the bloody box, Rosie," Draco snapped, seeming to not realize the nickname that had just come out of his mouth. Isla felt herself blush at it, despite the tone he had used, and her breath may have caught in her throat, but she didn't look up at him. She focused her attention on the small box, which she began to open slowly. Upon taking the top off of it, she immediately caught sight of it and let out a quiet gasp.

Inside the box sat a beautiful rose gold chain of a necklace, with a small rose of the same color hanging at the point. In the middle of the flower sat a single, small diamond that sparkled when Isla tilted the box.

"Draco, I..." Isla was speechless, to say the least. "It's beautiful." She picked up the necklace still inside the box and examined it in her hand.

"I have good taste, I know," Malfoy smirked, watching Isla intently. She could feel his eyes on her every move. Her face was still blushed a deep shade of pink, she could feel it, but she was ultimately focused on the necklace (and maybe even more focused on how expensive it might have been). "Are you going to put it on or what? Here." Draco took the box from Isla, removing the necklace from its quiet packaging. He looked up at her, almost asking silent permission, and unclasped the necklace before placing it around her neck. She shivered at the touch of his hands at the back of her neck as he clasped the necklace without looking. He was only looking into her eyes, and she couldn't help but look right back. She hardly noticed when he removed his hands from the back of her neck, only to place one on her cheek. It was cold, but not freezing, and it felt nice on her flushed cheeks.

Isla opened her mouth to speak but closed it, pulling her eyes away from him to look down at the necklace, "It really is beautiful," She whispered, taking it into one of her hands. Draco's hand moved from her cheek to her chin before he used two fingers to tilt her head back up to his. She could hardly form a coherent thought before their lips were together and it suddenly felt like the moon was radiating heat like the sun.

It was only a few seconds before Draco was the one to pull away. Isla watched his face, flush from the kiss, his lips a bit red as well. She had opened her mouth to speak again, but closed it and stood up.

"I should, um..." She glanced between Draco and the stairs. "I should get back." Oh, how she wanted to stay, for some reason she didn't understand. She felt crazy and confused and...frustrated? She didn't quite know what was happening, but she didn't think she could exactly talk about this with anyone either. She took one last glance at him before she turned around to the stairs.

"Don't you want to know what happened that one night, Isla Rose?" Draco spoke, making her freeze in her tracks. "The first night we got back to school?"

Isla turned around in her place and walked back up the couple of steps to be in his view again, "Come again?"

"You've only been beating yourself up over it for two weeks," He snickered, standing up. He watched her as she moved further into the room again. "I mean, you have nothing to really worry about, nothing really happened."

Isla frowned. Had she been thinking about something useless for two weeks, visiting a stupid boy in the hospital for no reason, who had just now gifted her a necklace and kissed her?

"It's quite funny, actually," He laughed breathily, walking closer to her. "You ran right into me, like I was a brick wall," He chuckled. "You were bloody plastered, Rosie," He was now standing so close to her that she couldn't move to leave (even if she wanted to), and his eyes were shimmering, "I pointed you in the direction of your dorm, and you said you'd owe me one," He was smirking, almost devilishly, his hand coming up to her face again. "Looks like you owe me two now, wouldn't you say?"

Isla was trying so hard to remember that night, with these new details, but she still couldn't seem to grasp onto anything, "I...two?"

"I did save your life at the Quidditch match, yeah?" His thumb grazed her cheek slowly back and forth. Her lips were parted slightly, at a loss for words.

"You did, but why-"

Draco's other hand came up to Isla's face and he leaned down to kiss her again, this time a bit harder and with more feeling behind it. Isla didn't know what it meant, let alone what she herself was feeling, but she was fighting with her mind whether she wanted to pull away or never let go.

She didn't have to fight much longer, because Draco was the one to pull away again, only enough to where Isla could feel his breath tingle her lips. He was looking down at her, still caressing her cheeks.

"It's getting late, Rosie," He said quietly, a smirk playing on his lips. He dropped his hands and took a few steps back, leaving Isla blushing and confused. It took a few moments, but she shook herself out of it and cleared her throat.

"Yeah I...I should really head to my dorm," She tried to avoid his gaze, glancing out at the night sky. One hand came up to absentmindedly touch her necklace. "Oh, um, thank you, Draco," She met his eyes. "For this. You really didn't have to."

"I know," He walked toward the balcony of the tower and leaned against it, still facing her.

"Goodnight, then," Isla turned, making her way towards the stairs. She had gotten nothing out of this but more questions than answers, and a pretty necklace, but she had too much going through her slightly-intoxicated mind that she knew she had to leave.

"Wait, one more thing," He called, making her turn around. "That night, the one you don't remember," He hinted, crossing his arms. "You said I had a nice name. And, if I recall correctly, a nice face," He smirked. "Something about the moonlight..." He turned his face toward the night sky, so perfectly that the moonlight hit it in the way that made him look so innocent and fair, and like he was doing it on purpose.

Isla's face was flushed again, embarrassed of this new knowledge she was receiving. She didn't know what else to say except for: "Goodnight, Draco," half sarcastically, and took one last look at him before moving down the stairs.

"Goodnight, Rosie."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> okay I ummmmm actually loved writing this chapter, but please let me know if it feels too fast!! thank you everyone ily <3


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